The Natural History of Cannabis Episode 7 - The origin story of 420

03/22/22 • 35 min

We know 420 as the time to smoke some weed, a secret code for do you smoke weed? (are you 420 friendly?) also it is the largest holiday in the cannabis world but where does the story come from?

Some say it’s the police code for someone consuming cannabis in public, or the number of chemicals in cannabis (nope its 312), or even after Bob Dylan’s song “Rainy Day Woman #12 and 35” (everybody must get stoned – 12 x 35 = 420), Some have said it’s Bob Marley’s bday or his death day (it’s neither)... but here is the story!

We know 420 as the time to smoke some weed, a secret code for do you smoke weed? (are you 420 friendly?) also it is the largest holiday in the cannabis world but where does the story come from?

Previous Episode

The Natural History of Cannabis Episode 6 - Charlotte's Webb

Charlotte’s Web (aka Hippie’s Disappointment - CBD dom) (50/50 hybrid)

Legendary CBD dominant cultivar with a cool back story.

On October 18, 2006 Matt & Paige Figi and their son Max were blessed with twins sisters Chase and Charlotte (nicknamed Charlie). At 3 months old Charlie had a seizure, eyes flickering, taken to hospital for full checks, no idea what was going, by the time she was 2 the seizures had become constant, after numerous trips to the ER and the family was told she had Dravet Syndrome (severe intractable epilepsy). Dravet syndrome is a rare catastrophic, lifelong form of epilepsy that begins in the first year of life with frequent or prolonged seizures.

Paige went on a mission to track down cannabis in Colorado that was higher in CBD (which was super rare), she found a smaller amount at a Denver dispensary and paid $800 for the CBD rich grass. She had a friend who had just started a business of medicine extraction and so she got her friend to extract the cannabinoids from the cannabis. She put a small amount under Charlotte’s tongue for the very first time and observed how her daughter reacted. Hours went by and no seizure. That whole day and night Charlotte had no seizures, and none the next day either. Paige and Matt were elated. Charlotte had gone from 300 seizures a week was down to just 1.